Effect of initial periodontal therapy on sulcular/tongue sulfide level

Background : Volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), such as hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide, are toxic metabolites produced by periodontal pathogens. These VSC are also released from the tongue dorsum. Currently, limited data are available on how periodontal treatments may affect sulcular/tongue sulfide level. The aim of this study was to determine effect of initial therapy including oral hygiene instruction and scaling and root planing (SRP) on sulcular/tongue sulfide level. Methods : Thirteen subjects diagnosed with chronic periodontitis and having three representative periodontal pocket depth (PD) strata in one quadrant (PD ≤ 3.0 mm: healthy, 4.0 mm ≤ PD ≤ 6.0 mm: moderate, and PD ≥ 7.0 mm: severe disease sites) were selected. Clinical periodontal parameters were recorded at baseline and 3 weeks after completion of the initial therapy. The sulfide levels in three representative periodontal pockets (pS) and on three parts (anterior, middle, and posterior) of the tongue dorsum (tS) were measured using a commercial sulfide-monitoring device. Results : The pS levels of the three representative sites were reduced significantly following the initial therapy ( p  < 0.05). However, there was no significant reduction of the tS level in all three parts of the tongue. Conclusions : The initial periodontal therapy such as oral hygiene and SRP reduces the sulcular sulfide level but not the tongue sulfide level. This suggests that sulcular sulfide level may be a possible indicator for assessing the outcome of initial periodontal treatment.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73912/1/j.1600-051X.2002.290909.x.pd

Association between oral malodor and adult periodontitis: a review

Background: Bad breath has a significant impact on our daily social life to those who suffer from it. The majority of bad breath originates within the oral cavity. However, it is also possible that it can come from other sources such as gastric-intestine imbalance. The term “oral malodor” is used to describe a foul or offensive odor emanating from the oral cavity, in which proteolysis, metabolic products of the desquamating cell, and bacterial putrefaction are involved. Recent evidence has demonstrated a link between oral malodor and adult periodontitis. The process of developing bad breath is similar to that noted in the progression of gingivitis/periodontitis. Oral malodor is mainly attributed to volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) such as hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide. The primary causative microbes are gram-negative, anaerobic bacteria that are similar to the bacteria causing periodontitis. These bacteria produce the VSC by metabolizing different cells/tissues (i.e., epithelial cells, leukocytes, etc.) located in saliva, dental plaque, and gingival crevicular fluid. Tongue surface is composed of blood components, nutrients, large amounts of desquamated epithelial cells and bacteria, suggesting that it has the proteolytic and putrefactive capacity to produce VSC. One of the challenges in dealing with oral malodor is to identify a reliable test for detecting bad breath. Aims: The purposes of this review article were: (1) to correlate the relationship between oral malodor and adult periodontitis; (2) to analyze current malodor tests and discuss available treatment regimens.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73536/1/j.1600-051x.2001.028009813.x.pd